Today in the State of Colorado, adults over 21 years can walk in retail establishments and purchase marijuana. Legalization will include a 25% State tax at a couple hundred existing medical marijuana dispensaries that were permitted to sell the product to adults.

Did you know the Phillip Morris Corporation (Marlboro cigarettes) no longer maintains control of market share. With the worldwide popularity of vaporizer or electronic cigarettes and a general trend away from tobacco products, the Marlboro Cowboy’s fate is reminiscent of the Polaroid and Kodak Corporation.

It would appear the cigarette behemoth is fading from history, but few people are aware that they own dispensary and growing operations in Colorado and California, behind corporate veils of course, and have in-place corporate lease options for existing marijuana production facilities. They are not shy about their intent to get in this market, and for some time.

Raids by the feds in Colorado last month had signs of a corporate takeover. A few warehouses that were permitted to grow marijuana with long-established consistency and reputations were raided, their inventory and assets were taken, and the bizarre part– the building lease was reassigned to new corporations and their new operations took effect immediately after the raid.

It appears that the DEA’s marijuana division, post legalization, will take the new form of corporate raiders, available to the highest bidder or taxpayer.

Federal marijuana policy should be addressed now before the next presidential election. Democrats and Republicans would prefer to address the issue themselves and spare their party’s next ‘top candidate’ from the discussion.

Something is wrong when adults are buying marijuana at permitted retail stores in some places and sick and old patients in my state of Michigan live in fear. Something needs to change and I think 2014 will be the year for that.